Car Whisperer Project Addresses Bluetooth Security Risks

The carwhisperer project intends to sensibilise manufacturers of carkits and other Bluetooth appliances without display and keyboard for the possible security threat evolving from the use of standard passkeys. A Bluetooth passkey is used within the pairing process that takes place, when two Bluetooth enabled devices connect for the first time. Besides other public data, the passkey is a secret parameter used in the process that generates and exchanges the so-called link key. In Bluetooth communication scenarios the link key is used for authentication and encryption of the information that is exchanged between the counterparts of the communication.

The cw_scanner script is repeatedly performing a device inquiry for visible Bluetooth devices of which the class matches the one of Bluetooth Headsets and Hands-Free Units. Once a visible Bluetooth device with the appropriate device class is found, the cw_scanner script executes the carwhisperer binary that connects to the found device (on RFCOMM channel 1) and opens a control connection and connects the SCO links.

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